This week has felt like working in some kind of mission control. Multiple screens, multiple remote groups, and issues that need dealing with immediately. Nothing life or death, but things that have a big impact on the people involved.

When something went wrong, someone noticed and sorted it within minutes. Leave it an hour, and the session’s gone, along with much of the goodwill of the people waiting for help.

Compare that with how we often support people in their actual jobs. We front-load it with induction, a course, and a policy document, then step back and assume that will hold. When someone gets stuck on a Tuesday afternoon, who’s watching the screen? Does anyone know they need help, or are we relying on them to find someone who can do something about it?

Mission control works because someone’s paying attention when things happen and can act. Training alone doesn’t provide that. That needs to be part of how work is supported, so people can get help while it can still make a difference.

So if one of your people got stuck right now, how long before anyone knew?